The Marriage Solution

by Megan Kelly

  “You look fantastic.”

  She smiled. “Thank you. I can say the same for you.”

  Her pink dress had a full skirt with a fitted waist. Thin straps held up the darker pink bodice that matched the pink roses she carried. She’d dreamed of her wedding gown all her life, but realized in that moment, only the look in her groom’s eyes mattered. Although this ceremony wasn’t based on love, Dylan’s desire brought the same thrill to the pit of her stomach as she imagined a real groom’s would have.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “As I’ll ever be.” She took his arm, glad to have him by her side as they walked out to face the crowd of well-wishers.

  The gathering stood as they walked between the rows of folding chairs toward the weeping willow tree. Someone had pulled aside branches and secured them with ribbons to create an opening, in which stood Dylan’s pastor. Tara kept her gaze on the alcove, determined not to veer from her course.

  But her gaze strayed to find Jimmy, beaming a grin as large as Lily’s as they stood with Adam and Anne’s kids and Betty. Traditionally, he should be on her side of the aisle. She giggled, drawing Dylan’s attention. “Traditionally” she wouldn’t have a child at her first wedding.

  Against her will, her gaze caught her mother’s. Stern, unsmiling and dry-eyed, her mom stood by Tara’s dad, who looked equally grim. Both wore impeccably turned-out in clothes more expensive than everyone else’s in attendance put together. They didn’t blend in, and they wouldn’t try to.

  Dylan’s hand covered hers where it rested on his arm. She smiled at him, grateful for his presence. Without him, she might have faltered at the coldness on her parents’ faces.

  With each word the minister uttered, Tara expected someone to interrupt and declare them impostors. Dylan squeezed her hand in reassurance before he slid a plain silver band on the finger reserved for her wedding ring. When asked if she took this man as her husband, she replied, “I do,” and slid his ring on his finger.

  The deed was done.

  They greeted the congregation from where they stood by the willow tree as husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs., fraud and cohort.

  Jimmy ran to her and jumped into her arms. Lily followed, wanting her hug as soon as she set down Jimmy.

  Dylan bent and hugged both children at once. “You both behaved nicely during the ceremony. Make sure you get some cake later.”

  The kids smiled at each other and ran off, distracted.

  “You make a beautiful couple,” Betty said, hugging Tara. “Finally, another daughter. How’d I get so lucky?”

  A boulder of guilt weighed down Tara’s stomach. “I’m the lucky one.”

  Adam laughed. “Let’s hope you still think so in ten years.”

  “Don’t scare her off,” Dylan said. “We haven’t even had our honeymoon yet.”

  “Yeah, that’ll be scary enough,” his brother said.

  “You two stop it,” Betty broke in. “This is a happy occasion and I’ll not have you roughhousing.”

  Anne took Tara’s hands as the “boys” argued playfully with their mother. “It’ll be nice to have another woman around to help corral those two.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “I admit I was hesitant at first when Dylan told us you were getting married after knowing each other for so short a time, but I can see you’re right for him.”

  “Thank you. I hope we’re both good for each other.”

  “Oh, definitely,” Anne said. “If it hadn’t been for Adam, I’d have set my eye on Dylan. Many a woman has tried to snag him. But seeing you with Lily puts my mind at rest.”

  She stepped back then to allow the next well-wishers to have time with the bride. Tara stiffened as her parents approached. She glanced across the yard to where she’d last seen Jimmy and blew out a breath of relief to find him at the picnic table between Brian and Christopher, drinking fruit punch.

  “I’m so glad you could come,” she said.

  Her father brushed his cheek near hers. “Had to see it for myself. Didn’t think you were any too fond of marriage.”

  “It just took the right man,” Dylan interjected, “to talk her into it.”

  Tara smiled at him, appreciative of his timing. He seemed to sense when she needed support. “Mom, Dad, this is Dylan. Honey, these are my parents, Janine and Barry Montgomery.”

  Her mother extended her hand to Dylan, her glare boring into him. “Nice to meet you, even at this late date.”

  “Would have been nicer,” her father said, “to meet my daughter’s husband before he became my daughter’s husband.”

  The men shook hands, sizing up one another. Neither appeared impressed by his assessment. Tara’s chin rose, defensively. Who were they to judge Dylan?

  “Well,” Dylan said, leaning forward confidentially, “she kind of swept me off my feet.”

  Tara choked on her laughter, recalling his claim that he could convince everyone their marriage was real. “That’s not the way I remember it. You swept me off mine.”

  He hugged her close. “We swept each other. It was fate.”

  “I believe that.” Fate had certainly brought together the two people perfect for their children’s needs.

  “Yes, well,” her father said, “we wish you luck.”

  Dylan straightened and stared her father down. “Thank you, sir, but we have more than luck on our side. We have each other, and our children, and our family to help us through rough times.”

  Her parents moved on without comment.

  “Could you have been more aggressive?” she chided under her breath.

  “I doubt it,” he agreed with a tight smile. “Not in public and definitely not at my wedding.”

  Tara shook her head, wishing he’d used more caution to avoid provoking her father, but she was touched. “You are amazing. Thank you for being so supportive.”

  He bent to brush his lips against hers, lingering for a moment. “You’re more than welcome.”

  People around them clapped and cheered, and Tara felt heat rise in her face. Thank goodness the others would mark it down to bridal nerves. Or was that old-fashioned thinking? Everyone here knew she’d had a child. They probably assumed she and Dylan had slept together. Most of them would be watching her waistline until time proved it unnecessary.

  They greeted the rest of the attendees as the afternoon waned. They served the cake—a chunk of which was missing—to one another amidst laughter and threats on her part not to make a mess. Glasses raised in toasts to their future happiness, with punch for the kids and champagne for the adults.

  Happily ever after? If only. Tara shut the door on those kinds of thoughts. The man had a child who needed her; otherwise, he’d never have proposed this marriage. Nor would she have accepted if she didn’t have a similar need to protect her own child. There was no room in their agreement for sex or long-term wishing.

  They kissed the children again and took their leave. The silence in the car between them didn’t match the torrent of thoughts in her head.

  “That went well,” Dylan said.

  “I’m glad it’s over.” She winced. “Sorry. Hardly what a groom wants to hear.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m glad it’s over, too, although I hesitate to say that to my bride.”

  “And that’s enough of that nonsense. We both know why we got married. Between us, at least, there should be honesty.”

  “Right.”

  Neither spoke as they parked and approached her house. He hesitated as she unlocked the door, sliding her a look.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Should I carry you over the threshold?”

  “Honesty between us,” she reminded him. “I’m perfectly capable of walking.”

  “Okay, then.” He waved her in ahead of him.

  “I guess I’ll go change.”

  “Tara—”

  Please don’t let him thank me again.

  “Mom said she put chicken salad in the fridge when she was by this morning with the flowe
rs. I rented a movie.”

  She laughed. “Sounds good. Let me get out of this dress.”

  He smiled. “Sounds real good.”

  “Behave.” But she wore a smile as she retrieved her pajamas. After cleaning up in the bathroom, she found Dylan loading paper plates in the kitchen, wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Sandwiches shared the surface with potato chips, and raw vegetables with dip.

  “That looks fantastic. I’m starving.”

  He nodded. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Too nervous.”

  “I didn’t either, but I was keyed up about facing my parents. Why did you get cold feet?”

  “Well, I had to get married.”

  “Temporarily,” she countered, pouring pop into iced glasses.

  “Still. It makes a man pause. Even Adam got nervous at his wedding, and he and Anne had known each other since the fifth grade.”

  “But our wedding isn’t going to tie you down forever.”

  “We should toast to that.” Dylan took a glass and handed one to Tara. “To our wedding. To keeping Jimmy with you and making Lily feel secure.”

  Smiling, she clinked her glass against his. “I’ll drink to that.”

  He had chosen an action-comedy movie that made them both laugh. Tara curled into the corner of the couch, wishing for knitting or something to take her mind off of Dylan. Although he occupied the other end of the couch, placing him a full three feet away from her, she felt overwhelmed by his presence. She hadn’t been alone with a man since telling Jay about her pregnancy.

  Glad when the movie ended, she bade Dylan good-night. “I’ll see you early tomorrow.”

  He followed her down the hall. “I might as well get some sleep. Adam will be here at daybreak.”

  She paused outside her bedroom door, with Dylan across the hall in Jimmy’s doorway. The intimacy, the quiet and the unexpected magic of their wedding ceremony worked against her. She could barely ignore the heavy sexual tension pulsing between them. “Thank you for today.”

  “We both benefit, or at least our kids do, which is the same thing.”

  “I don’t just mean thank you for marrying me to provide the impression of a stable home life for the courtroom, although I do appreciate that. It was more. You were right beside me every time I needed you.”

  Dylan took the two steps necessary to reach her. His hand cupped her jaw and brought her lips to his. Sweet and gentle, the kiss lingered between two people becoming friends. Eyes on hers, he ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “You’re welcome. Good night, Mrs. Ross.”

  “SO,” ADAM SAID to Tara when he showed up to help with the move, “after your first night as man and wife, do you still want to live with this deadbeat?”

  She smiled. “I guess I’ll keep him.”

  “You lucked out, man,” he said to Dylan, who replied in a tone too low for her to hear.

  Just as well, she supposed, as his comment was undoubtedly an insult to Adam’s character. She acted as overseer as they moved things into her house. Their house. They treated everything from Lily’s room with extra care. Dylan only moved boxes of clothes, his desk, and a convertible sofa bed, hoping to sublet his condo semi-furnished.

  About the time they finished moving, Betty and Anne arrived with the children. Obviously nothing happened in the Ross family without the entire family taking part. Tara liked the idea, but the reality might take some getting used to. Now nine children, one baby and two other adults joined her and the Ross brothers. Their place hadn’t grown any and quickly felt crowded with fifteen bodies in it.

  “That’s cool,” Jimmy said, walking in.

  Tara turned, realizing he’d picked up a new expression hanging out with Chris all day during the move. All in all, he’d taken this major upheaval in his life well.

  If only she could calm her own butterflies.

  She looked around the room to see what, in particular, Jimmy considered “cool” and discovered Chris holding a lizard. Make that sixteen bodies.

  “Christopher Andrew,” his mother warned, “do not bring that creature into this house.”

  “Aw, Mom,” he protested, although more to cajole than to argue. In another second, he and his triplet brother Paul pivoted toward the door.

  Tara noticed the longing on Caitlyn’s face as she watched her brothers leave, but she didn’t budge from Lily’s side.

  Anne shook her head. “Sorry.”

  “It’s fine,” Tara said. She wouldn’t want Chris to know, but she hoped a little of his mischievousness rubbed off on Jimmy. He was too serious for a three-year-old. Becoming part of a large family would be a good experience for Jimmy, even though it was only short-term. She wondered how she would fare living with Dylan, having had only herself to rely on and please for so long. Could she get along with another adult making decisions? Would she be able to share responsibilities—or her son?

  Some of the children had found chairs, some plopped on the floor. Dylan pulled dining-room chairs around to face the living room, obviously familiar with entertaining this large group in a small area.

  “Let’s go play in your room,” Caitlyn said. Lily nodded, and they walked down the hall hand in hand.

  “My room’s here, too,” Jimmy told Brian and Bethany. “Come see it.”

  Three more children left, giving the living-room space and peace. The oldest girls, Mary and Jane, sat on the couch with Penny in her carrier at their feet.

  “This place won’t be big enough for long,” Betty said, looking around.

  “It’s only temporary, Mom. When the condo sublets, we’ll have more income to work with.” Dylan flashed a grin. “Besides, it’s much more spacious when Adam takes his horde home.”

  “We’re not a horde,” Mary said.

  “Yeah,” Jane agreed, although her hesitant glance at Mary betrayed her uncertainty of the word’s meaning.

  “We’re your family,” Mary continued, her eyes twinkling at Dylan, “and you just wish we could live here all the time, but you’re trying to hide it because you know Mom and Dad would miss us if we moved in with you.”

  Tara blinked. She hadn’t heard Mary tease Dylan before. In fact, she’d barely heard the girl speak.

  “Ah, Mary mine,” Dylan said, slipping into a brogue and slapping a hand over his chest. “You’ve discovered my wee secret pain.”

  Mary giggled.

  Dylan turned to his brother, clasping his hands together in a plea. “Can’t I have them, really and truly, for my own?”

  Adam grinned at Anne and swept his arm out indicating the sofa, front door and hallway. “Only if you take all of them.”

  Dylan’s mouth dropped open. Everyone laughed, and he joined in. Obviously this wasn’t the usual answer.

  “What’s funny?” Paul asked from the doorway.

  “We’re moving in, too,” Jane told him with a smile.

  “Cool,” Chris said.

  Tara smirked at Dylan. “Way to go. Now we’re going to need a bigger place right away.”

  Anne laughed. “You’ll need a house with a play set soon so you can send them outside to burn off energy. Adam can build you one like ours.”

  Tara glanced at them, realizing the family assumed she and Dylan would have children together, even if they believed she wasn’t pregnant now. Guilt made her chest constrict.

  Paul and Chris looked at each other, then their father, who shrugged. “Sorry, boys. Uncle Dylan wants you, and since I couldn’t find gypsies to sell you to…”

  “Please don’t sell me to the gypsies, Dad!” Chris entreated. “Mom, make him sell us to the circus instead.”

  “It’s not in town,” she countered with a sad shake of her head.

  “Then you’re just stuck with us till the circus comes,” Paul said.

  Adam sighed, and Anne shrugged. “It was worth a try.”

  Dylan pretended to wipe sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He glanced at Tara. “Whew. That was close.”

  “I’ll say.” She
’d have to work on her sense of comedy to fit in with this family for the next year. Her comeback felt lame, but she hadn’t grown up in a family that joked. In fact, she’d never met a family with such a lively sense of humor. Even the children had the timing of stand-up comedians.

  “Give me a hand, Brian,” Dylan said to Paul. “I need to get some things from the car.”

  “I’m not Brian.”

  Dylan frowned in mock confusion. “Really? Well, whoever you are, come help me.”

  Paul smiled and followed him out. Tara had caught on to Dylan’s game of pretending not to know the children, but she still sometimes blanked when searching for a name.

  She and Anne put Dylan’s bachelor collection of odds and ends beside her dishes. The cupboards had ample space, even if the house did not. The confusion of “hers” and “his” becoming “theirs” made Tara pause. Some things were easy to blend. She hoped the other aspects of their lives meshed as well as the dishes.

  Dylan and Paul returned with ice cream bars for everyone.

  Tara raised her eyebrows as the kids gathered around to collect theirs. “Those were in the car?”

  “No, we chased down the ice cream truck.” Dylan and Paul bumped knuckles in victory. “I don’t think he drove by over where I lived. Getting married was a great idea.”

  Everyone laughed at his absurdity.

  They’d gone out for boxes and chased the ice cream truck instead? Yeah, she’d definitely have to keep on her toes. The idea thrilled her. Even though their size might intimidate her, the Ross family was sheer fun.

  She’d have to drag Jimmy away when the time came. For that matter, she’d have to force herself to leave. For not only would she annul the marriage, she’d exit the Ross family. Dylan assured her he’d explain to his mom so her job would be secure, but Adam and Anne might be harder to reconcile to the truth. If they could ever be told the truth.

  Later that evening, Dylan plopped on the sofa, aching in every muscle, but feeling a sense of accomplishment for a job well done. He blocked out the thought of the obstacles to come. Tipping back a bottle of beer, he concentrated on just being satisfied in the moment.